Today's News

Christopher Sardellicsardelli@thelancasternews.com
A table piled high with bags of drugs and various weapons sat nearby as local authorities revealed charges Friday morning against almost 80 people, part of a joint drug operation conducted during the last year.

Christopher Sardellicsardelli@thelancasternews.com
It was about 5:50 p.m. Thursday when witnesses called 911 to report an armed man walking through their J.B. Denton neighborhood carrying a shotgun.
Within minutes, that man – later identified as 46-year-old Lancaster resident Curtis “Curt” Alan Reed, was found shot to death at a home he was trying to break into on that road, according to a Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office press release.

Christopher Sardellicsardelli@thelancasternews.com
Following almost two months of tracking down leads and speaking to witnesses, investigators arrested two men this week in the shooting death of 23-year-old Jenika Jones.
Devatee Clinton, 24, 1911 Roseanna Lane, and Wayne Blakeney, 20, 5987 Taxahaw Road, both of Lancaster, were arrested Friday and charged with the Jan. 19 murder, which occurred during a robbery at Jones’ home, according to a sheriff’s office press release.

Staff Reports
The filing period for the 2012 candidates is nearing and with that has come some surprises to the Republican Party of Lancaster County.
The tide is turning in Lancaster County. Here is the proof: There were 5,024 votes cast Jan. 19, 2008, in the Republican Presidential Primary. In the Jan. 21, 2012, Republican Presidential Primary there were 8,944 votes cast.
There are many candidates running this year – several are running under the Republican Party.

Jesef Williamsjwilliams@thelancasternews.com
South Carolina’s involvement in global economics may be more robust than you think.
Jennifer Noel, director of global business development for the S.C. Department of Commerce, spoke about international economics during her time as guest speaker at Thursday’s Lancaster Rotary Club luncheon.
Noel said 50 percent of the jobs in South Carolina and 70 percent of investments in the state are from international corporations.

Reece Murphyrmurphy@thelancasternews.com
One year ago today, at 12:46 a.m. local time, the people of Japan’s east coast found themselves struggling to survive one of the country’s most devastating natural disasters – the Tohoku earthquake.
According to a national police damage report filed a month later, the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami, destroyed more than 150,000 buildings and killed 15,850 people, injured 6,011 and left at least 3,287 missing.

Robert Howey
rhowey@thelancasternews
Lancaster prevailed in a high-scoring non-region game with Andrew Jackson, taking 13-8 win over the host Vols on Friday night.
The five-run win pushed the Bruins’ diamond mark to 5-1.
C.D. Pelham, one of three pitchers used by the LHS, was the winner in four innings of relief work. Pelham, who has a win and two saves, allowed no hits and struck out 11. He gave up one run.

From Dec. 1, 1944, to Dec. 31, 1952, my father was sheriff of Lancaster County. Times have certainly changed.
Daddy was a rather closed-mouthed individual, which worked sometimes, but caused him considerable anguish at other times.
The area media and The Lancaster News were critical because he rarely gave interviews or issued press releases on criminal cases.
Only in his later years did he confide that it was up to magistrates and judges to determine guilt and folks shouldn’t be tried in the court of public opinion.